Chris Jones reports from Milan.

It’s been a shocking 48 hours for William Dangenou.

Canada’s 24-year-old short track standout star, a world champion and expected to win multiple medals at the Winter Olympics, finished fifth in Saturday’s signature race, the 1,500 meters, missing out on the podium for the second consecutive final.

He finished fourth in the 1,000 meters on Thursday. Jens van’t Wout of the Netherlands won gold in both events, enjoying the twin victories Danzinou was supposed to enjoy.

Canadians did not shed any tears afterwards. He wasn’t inconsolable or anything like that.

He exuded the anger of a man bent on revenge.

“The only thing I want to say is that one day I will be an Olympic champion,” he said. “Mark my words.”

And then he walked off into what was sure to be a very long night.

It started off very well. He easily made it through the quarterfinals and semifinals with teammate and defending silver medalist Stephen Dubois.

He seemed calm, cautious, and confident. In each of the first two races, Danzinou took an early lead, first putting his hands behind his back and settling into a long, smooth stride. He seemed to be a favorite.

The crowded finals started much the same way, with nine skaters participating due to penalty penalties.

A rotation of skaters took the lead, with Van’t Wout setting the early pace – knowing Dunginou was the most dangerous up front – but the Canadian was always there, pressing and calculating.

Dubois tried to make a move from near the back of the pack, but fell quickly. “It’s just the ice breaking,” he said afterward. “The conditions are tough. That’s no excuse, but it makes a difference when you really have to take risks.”

With three laps to go, Danzinou made a pass himself and attempted a pass. He lost his rhythm after being blocked by South Korea’s Dong Min-shin and was unable to regain his momentum. That small shock, like Thursday’s lone failure in the 1,000m final, instantly robbed him of four years of hard work and hope.

“At first I fell down,” Dubois said. “It sucks, but I didn’t get that close. William was super close. It sucks. This is sport. We live for disappointment and exhilaration. That’s the way it is for us.”

Short track is an exercise in overcoming confusion and despair. Inside the stadium, the announcer calls loudly like a horse race. Margins are fine and luck also plays a role. The ice in Milan is shared with figure skaters, which means it’s softer than speed skaters would prefer. All competitors are wearing Kevlar. All competitors have weapons strapped to their feet.

It takes everything to win. You have almost nothing to lose.

The sense that Canada underperformed in Milan-Cortina deepens with fear, adding to the pressure. At the end of the eighth day, Norway had 10 gold medals. There are three in Australia. Brazil and Kazakhstan each have one.

William D’Anginou may have had two by himself. Instead, Canada currently has none.

“This is definitely a bad week,” Dubois said. “It’s the Olympics, so we knew everyone was going to come out on top. It’s really difficult. Everyone wants to be on the podium.”

D’Anzinou climbed one place higher when he dreamed of standing in third place, along with the mixed relay team that won the silver medal.

He still has two opportunities left: the 500 meters and the men’s 5,000 meter relay.

Dubois is optimistic about both. After losing together in the finals, he whispered words of comfort to his friend, but he said that otherwise he would have been left alone to reset, rushing to find a path from regret to resolution on his own.

“I know William,” Ms. Dubois said. “He’ll be angry and disappointed for a few hours. Then he’ll go to bed or go for a walk. He’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.